Career Area:

Job Description:

Caterpillar is seeking a Senior Corporate Counsel, Compliance - Customs in either Irving, Texas, Washington DC, or Peoria, Illinois to provide legal advice and support on customs and trade compliance matters.   As a Senior Corporate Counsel, Compliance - Customs at Caterpillar, you won’t just advise on the law—you’ll help shape how a global company operates, grows, and helps our customers build a better, more sustainable world.

This is a rare opportunity for a customs/trade attorney to step into a highly visible in-house role where your advice directly drives business outcomes.  You’ll work alongside business leaders, advise on strategy, and solve complex, real-world challenges across global supply chains—all within a collaborative, high-performing legal team at an organization with consistent financial performance and historical significance.

The role is focused on customs compliance support for the US and Canada and reports to the Associate General Counsel for Trade and Fair Competition, who is based in Irving, Texas.

What You Will Do:

• Partner with the business on day-to-day and strategic customs and trade compliance matters, including import/export procedures, tariff classification, customs valuation, duty suspension administration, free trade agreements, rules of origin, customs compliance process development, and other trade-related compliance requirements

• Translate complex regulatory developments into clear, actionable guidance for business stakeholders

• Shape and strengthen compliance programs by assisting with the design and improvement of policies, procedures, and controls that work in practice—not just on paper

• Support strategic initiatives that intersect with global trade, supply chain, and Caterpillar’s growth objectives

• Collaborate cross-functionally with trade, logistics, tax, and commercial teams to solve problems and enable the business

• Work globally with legal colleagues around the world to deliver coordinated, high-quality legal support

• Why This Role is Different:  This is not a back-office compliance role. You will:

• Have direct access to business leaders and decision-making processes—you will not be sitting on the sidelines

• See the immediate impact of your advice on operations and strategy

• Move from issue-spotting to holistic problem-solving

• Develop a broad commercial perspective that enables expansion of your career beyond legal technical work

• Join a team that values practical judgment, responsiveness, and collaboration

What You Have:

• Risk Management: Knowledge of processes, tools, and techniques for assessing and controlling an organization's exposure to risks of various kinds; ability to apply knowledge of risk management appropriately to diverse situations

• Decision Making and Critical Thinking: Knowledge of the decision-making process and associated tools and techniques; Willing to take initiative, bear risks, make decisions, and take responsibilities to resolve problems and improve business results 

• Effective Communications: Understanding of effective communication concepts, tools, and techniques; Ability to collaborate vertically and horizontally, across levels and various business functions, and with external parties 

• Managing Multiple Priorities: Knowledge of effective self-management practices; ability to manage multiple concurrent objectives, projects, groups, or activities, making effective judgments as to prioritizing and time allocation

• Problem Solving: Knowledge of approaches, tools, techniques for recognizing, anticipating, and resolving organizational, operational, or process problems; ability to apply knowledge of problem solving appropriately to diverse situations

• Resource Management: Knowledge of the resources required to achieve business objectives; ability to plan, mobilize, and distribute resources to fulfill business objectives and plans

• Legal Analysis: Knowledge of methods and tools used in legal analysis; ability to read, interpret, and draw accurate conclusions from both legal and factual information

• Legal Function: Knowledge of the major responsibilities, accountabilities, and organization of the legal function or department; ability to provide legal consulting, advice, and assistance

Degree and Experience Requirements:

• J.D. or equivalent law degree from an accredited law school with strong academic credentials

• Active Bar admission in any U.S. state or the ability to practice as in-house counsel in your work location

• Must have meaningful law firm and/or in-house experience in US customs regulations and practices.  Four years of progressively advancing job-related experience is typically required, and exposure to global trade issues or cross-border transactions is a plus.

Additional Info:

• The primary locations for this role are Irving, Texas, Washington DC, or Peoria, Illinois

• Domestic relocation assistance is available for those who qualify

• Sponsorship is not available

• 5% travel is expected

Final details:

Please frequently check the email associated with your application, including the junk/spam folder, as this is the primary correspondence method. If you wish to know the status of your application – please use the candidate log-in on our career website as it will reflect any updates to your status.

Summary Pay Range:

Compensation and benefits offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, job level, market location, job-related knowledge, skills, individual performance and experience. Please note that salary is only one component of total compensation at Caterpillar. 

Benefits:

Subject to plan eligibility, terms, and guidelines. This is a summary list of benefits.

• Medical, dental, and vision benefits*

• Paid time off plan (Vacation, Holidays, Volunteer, etc.)*

• 401(k) savings plans*

• Health Savings Account (HSA)*

• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)*

• Health Lifestyle Programs*

• Employee Assistance Program*

• Voluntary Benefits and Employee Discounts*

• Career Development*

• Incentive bonus*

• Disability benefits

• Life Insurance

• Parental leave

• Adoption benefits

• Tuition Reimbursement

* These benefits also apply to part-time employees

Posting Dates: